


Don't Feed the Androids

by Aureux



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Anne the PM700, Donut AU, Fluff and Crack, Food, Gen, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-11
Updated: 2019-07-11
Packaged: 2020-06-26 05:24:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19761493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aureux/pseuds/Aureux
Summary: In which Ben Collins deviates the DPD Androids with donuts.





	Don't Feed the Androids

**Author's Note:**

> The was in response to an off-handed comment by HyperKey from the Detroit New Era Server. 
> 
> "I'm still waiting for a fic where someone unironically feeds a donut to an android and deals with the consequences of shoving food into a system it does not belong into."
> 
> I know this probably isn't what you were expecting but this is what came of it.

Ben had a problem. It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but the officer knew even less about android’s than Hank. It wasn’t due to hatred or anything, just honest to goodness ignorance. He tried, bless his heart, but he simply didn’t know how to interact with androids. As a result he defaulted to treating them like people when he actually had to engage once; which thankfully was a rare occurrence. Unit it wasn’t. 

During a Cyberlife outreach program, the DPD was stocked with a complete set of PC200’s and PM700’s, one for each officer. Due to his seniority (and his behavior issues), Hank was able to opt out. Ben, on the other hand, was not. 

The oldest detective in the department ended up with an android partner he knew nothing about. A black PM700 with cropped curly hair he sheepishly designated Anne. Things went well initially. That was until the incident…

~~~~

Ben Collins leaned back in the seat of the cruiser. It had been a long day on dispatch rotation and the aged detective could hardly wait until it was over. During the holiday season, it was always all hands on deck. It was as though everyone come out of the woodwork. 

The spike in domestic violence, suicide, homocide, and drug use left the entire department scrambling. As a result, detectives had to pitch in and help the regular beat cops in between cases. The police androids boosted their numbers, but were too knew to be trusted alone. Which was why Ben had to spend the day with Anne. 

The massive amount of calls left Ben no time to eat lunch, let alone process any discomfort with Anne. Finally, though, there was a lull and the detective was starving. Luckily, even with all the innovations, fast food was still going strong. It may have not been the same heavy hitters and more restaurants were opening with the option, but it was still a little slice of old Detroit among the lights of the new.

It was no difficulty swinging into a deli that offered drive-through on the way to the precinct. 

“We have had no further calls,” Anne spoke up from the passenger seat. “Why are we stopping?”

“I missed lunch. Might as well pick up something on the way back. Jeffery won’t mind,” Ben’s fingers tapped against the steering wheel as he waited in the line of cars. It was during this tie a thought came to mind, something so inherent to life he mentally slapped himself for not knowing. “So uhh Anne…”

The android smoothly turned to face him, her light blinking a placid blue. “Yes, Detective Collins?”

Ben admittedly didn’t know how to bring it up, so he just dove right in with all his earnest awkwardness. “Do androids need to eat?”

“It is not necessary.” Well that only somewhat answered his question. 

Ben sighed, his head sinking back into the head rest as the line inched forward. On one hand, it was good to know he was only starving himself instead of Anne with him. On the other, it was still entirely up in the air whether or not androids even ate. If they didn’t, fine. Fair enough. More for him. But if they did his deeply ingrained manners wouldn’t allow him to eat in front of someone. 

The line was moving quicker now, giving the detective progressively less time. So, throwing caution to the wind, Ben ordered his own meal and one of the cream filled paczki bites this particular food spot sold. 

“The amount of calories, fat, and sugar present in that meal is wildly unhealthy,” Anne commented as she gingerly took the bag of food from him no sooner than he was handed the thing. This was something the android did that happened often enough that Ben didn’t even have to pause to think about a response for. 

The polite concern over his health and weight had been a regular occurence. He had always been a big eater as a kid and continued through his prime. Ben frankly adored food, how it brought people together as well as the taste of it. He was used to all the old comments about how his metabolism wouldn’t last. 

They only got worse after his partner died and, in his depression, Ben began to put on weight. He was in a better place now, but there were still days when he accidentally made enough for two and was left eating a second plate of food just so he didn’t have to stare at it and remember that there was no Adam coming home starving after a double. 

The detective had long since learned to block it out rather than get angry about it like Hank. Yet, there was something admittedly refreshing about the judgement-free concern than Anne exuded. 

“Don’t worry, Anne, these are for you,” Been chuckles as he used one hand to fish out the little bag of fried treats. The police android’s brow furrowed it what could only be annoyance as he bypassed the entire reason for her grabbing the bag with his own little quest. 

“It is recommended to keep both hands on the wheel at all times in the event that the self driving AI goes offline and the vehicle requires manual control,” her lips pursed, LED pulsing a single burst of yellow before fading back to a static blue. 

“You worry too much. You should have seen the old days. I remember when I got my first car. Used to give you these cardboard drink carriers through the window and all these small bags. They wouldn’t give you a chance to empty your hands before you had to get out of the way for the next driver,” Ben grinned at the memory. “About spilled soda down myself so many times and had to hold the bag with my feet before I got the trick to it.” 

Anne didn’t say anything but he could feel her dark eyes on the side of his head. The aged detective ignored it as he smoothly rejoined traffic. His free hand once more slipped into the bag only to withdraw with his bounty. “Here you go.”

The police android promptly took the bag from his hand. She seemed almost unsure what to do with it. Ben struggled to keep from watching her. In the end, he knew he’d be better off pulling over for this. Luckily he knew the perfect place. 

A few turns here and there and Ben guided the cruiser into an empty lot outside of one of the many clinging natural parks throughout the city. They were spread out, gradually decreasing as the demands of civilization results in more and more land being cut from the nature preserves. Still, this place thankfully still stood. Ben honestly hadn’t been sure if they tore it down yet. 

The vehicle chimed as it settled into park, the automated voice disabled. Having a car speak to him was a little too much for him. 

Anne was still stock still at his side, her hand clutching to the sweet treats. 

“You know, I wasn’t kidding when I said they were for you, right?” Ben pointed out, not unkindly. 

“I am unsure as to what I am supposed to do with them,” Anne admitted even as Ben retrieved the bag with his sandwich from her. 

“You eat them. You know, put them in your mouth and chew,”

Almost mechanically, Anne lifted the wax paper to her lips and made to bite into it. Ben was quick to catch her hand before she could. 

“Not like that,” He scolded gently. “You open the package and take them out.” 

Ben demonstrated with his sandwich, unwrapping the ruben. The PM700 seemed to understand, pulling open the paper to reveal the fluffy powdered treats inside. She looked between the detective in her bounty, as if asking for permission or some kind of prompt. Ben just nodded and mimed grabbed one and shove it into his mouth. 

Anne follow his movements, grabbing one of the pastries and placing it in her mouth. When she made zero effort to chew, the detective exaggerated his own chewing. Thankfully she caught on quickly. Ben was not sure how much longer he would be able to delay eating now that his body actually got a taste of food. 

The second the android swallowed her eyes seemed to widen, the LED flickering to a vibrant scarlet. Ben’s stomach dropped. He didn’t know much about androids, but he did know that red was never good when it came to computers. There was no way he broke Anne by feeding her, right? Or was there some kind of unspoken rule?

To his eternal gratitude, the little light flickered back to a content blue and Anne turned to look at Ben with a sort of childlike wonder and glee that looked vastly different from the normally placid expression. It wasn’t a bad thing though and the man couldn’t help the faint smile twitching at her lips. 

“Good?” He teased gently as he tucked into her sandwich. 

Anne didn’t hesitate to nod, an answering grin on her lips. “Yes. Thank you.” 

~~~~

Ben’s go to method for finding common ground seemed to work with androids as well. Every time he had to go on patrol with an android he treated them to some form a snack. Sweets seemed to be a fan favorite, the donuts and packzis gaining the biggest smiles. For the first time, he felt like he actually understood these machines everyone was toting around. At the end of the day they weren’t that much different from people. Just get a warm meal in them and they opened right up. 

Ben didn’t realize what he was doing until it was far too late. Instead he continued to make the mistake of feeding and treating the office androids like people. As far as Ben was aware, them responding in kind was a good thing and completely normal. It wasn’t until the deviant cases that he realized something else was going on. And by then, the virus he had been perpetuating had infected every android in the station. 

~~~~

Things were getting dangerous on the streets. Every cop knew it, Ben most of all. Adam had lost his life to the Red Ice pandemic and Ben would probably lose his to this. There just was no telling if it would be from the androids everyone was scared of or his own colleagues. 

“What the hell are you shooting at!?” Ben snapped at his “partner” who was a little too trigger happy. In response to the android revolution, many volunteers were swarming to join the force and help protect their families. The DPD had no choice but take them lest militias develop in the street and it become complete anarchy. 

That didn’t mean Ben liked it, at all. Despite his age, the man knew his way around a crisis or two, this was Detroit after all. All these people panicking at shadows was making things worse. Hysteria was more dangerous than the revolution itself. It made people reckless and flighty. He’d seen mobs running from danger kill more people than the danger itself back when he was young are interested in SWAT. The first time he saw a child trampled to death beneath a crowd quickly erased any sort of enamorment the armored response officers held. 

Ironic that life still brought him to homicide, but that was life. At least he still had Anne. Despite everyone’s fear and suspicion she’d never steered him wrong and had even saved his life. (Silently, to himself, he had a hunch she was deviant. But she never hurt anyone that didn’t deserve it so he was okay with turning a blind eye to the whole thing.)

“Detective Collins,” Anne chimed, earning a flinch from the volunteer. “The streets are growing increasingly dangerous. We should return to the precinct.” 

“Are you sure we should be listening to a piece of plastic when they are the things causing the mess?” The other man growled, eyeing the PM700 with disdain. Ben ignored it. 

“She’s got more training and experience than you’d have in a year. I trust her judgement. ‘Specially with that planned broadcast. I have a bad feeling it is just going to rile everyone up worse.” 

“Then we should be on the streets, ready for anything!” Ben thought his name started with a K but he honestly couldn’t remember. Not like the guy would last beyond this. 

“That sounds good in theory but being in the thick of things is more likely to get you killed. Better to be at the precinct when it happens, that way we can plan where to go next,” Ben swore he felt like a babysitter as K-something slumped. Anne seemed to ignore his unwilling partner and lead the way back to the vehicle. 

That’s when things got a little weird. Anne settled in the passenger seat like always, which was normal but not when there was another officer present. In fact she spent the full patrol with K-something in the back seat where the criminals sat. Not just that but her dark skin retracted to show her silver palm, which she placed on the dashboard. 

The doors locked with a loud click and K-something hollered as he was effectively locked out of the car. Ben didn’t have much of a chance to pay the volunteer any mind as Anne turned to him with the most serious expression he’d ever seen on her face outside of active situations and the precinct. 

“We need to get you out of here,” she told him as the engine of the car fired up without Ben’s input. 

“What?” the age detective didn’t get much time to even ask before the cruiser sped away from the seen and deeper into the city. 

“Things are going to get dangerous around here, for both androids and humans. We refuse to let anything happen to you,” Anne finally explained when they were sufficiently away from the downtown area. Her eyes flashed steadily in the streetlights but there was nothing violent or hateful there. Just a certainty and determination. 

Still Ben had to ask. “Why me?” 

It was then that Anne’s face softened with a small smile. “Because you woke us up with your presents.”--

“Wait wait wait. You are telling me that you spent the entire revolution locked in a car with Anne because you fed them donuts?” Hank exclaimed, cutting off Ben’s story with a snort. 

“And you deviated an android made to hunt his kind,” Ben retorted, earning a grimace from Hank. 

“Touche,” the lieutenant took a swig from his beer. “So what, did you guys run out of Detroit?”

At the question, Ben looked away almost sheepish. His fingertips twirled the bottle in his hands. “Not exactly…”

\-- “Hah! I knew it!” Ben couldn’t help but crow despite the situation. 

Anne, bless her soul, looked confused. She recovered rather quickly. “At any rate, we need to get you away from here before this all blows up.”

“You keep saying ‘we’..” despite his age and general laid back demeanor, Ben Collins was still very much a detective with a sharp wit he rarely displayed fully. At his question, the police android looked almost proud of herself. 

“The station androids. You don’t think we were just going to sit back and wait for the humans to turn against us, right?” Anne all but smirked as the vehicle she controlled swerved back into traffic. It was swiftly joined by other police cruisers, each manned by a familiar face. 

Despite the sheer oddness of the situation, Ben’s mind couldn’t help but jump to one thing in particular. Jeffery was going to kill him. --

“Damn right I would have killed you!” the Captain huffed as he shot back the rest of his beer. He looked relaxed, all things considered. “But because the FBI just had to take over this entire clusterfuck is on their heads and not mine.” 

“So anyway we drove to the outskirts of Detroit and holed up in my cabin there. Anne must have remembered it from all my stories. The place was even stocked with enough supplies to last a month,” Ben finished his story with a small smile. 

Hank shook his head even as he finished his own beer. “Only you Ben. Only you.” 

“What can I say?” Ben’s smile crept into a full on shit eating grins. “The way to anyone’s heart is through their stomach.”

“So what? Should we make a massive buffet and invite all the deviants and humans left in Detroit?” Hank challenged. The man looked good. Whatever it was that Connor was doing, it was working wonders for the alcoholic. Just as Anne and the others had worked wonders for him. 

It had been a month since androids were declared a sentient species and Ben was already down 8 pounds. But that didn’t matter. What mattered here was showing up his old friends. So, as casual as can be, the detective simply shrugged. “Well why not? Not like it will hurt anything.”

And if his two oldest friends just so happened to look at him like he was crazy, well that didn’t matter. Ben knew what he would be doing this weekend and he was sure the androids under his care would happily join in. If they inherited anything from him, it was an appreciation of good food and what a little kindness could do. 


End file.
